John "Jack" Hollowed - Class of 1975



After graduating from the University of Illinois with a B.A. in Biology, Mr. Hollowed earned a M.S. in Oceanography from Old Dominion University, where he was also a research assistant and Vice-President of the Graduate School Organization, and a J.D. from Seattle University. Driven by his passion for the natural world, Mr. Hollowed subsequently dedicated his career to environmental advocacy and protecting the land, water, and treaty rights of the Indian tribes in the Pacific Northwest. Over the course of 35 years, he held various positions in the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, including policy analyst, Director of Habitat Services, and legal advisor. One of the highpoints of Mr. Hollowed’s advocacy efforts came in serving as the main architect and strategist for the landmark United States v. Washington case, in which the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the Ninth Circuit Court’s ruling that will preserved salmon habitat and treaty-protected fishing rights for generations to come.  Additionally, his support for Pacific Northwest Indian tribes in the 1980s Timber Fish and Wildlife Agreement, the early 2000 Forest and Fish Agreement, and the Water Resources Forum led to significant improvements in environmental protection on private forest lands and the protection of federally reserved water rights. Although Mr. Hollowed sadly passed away in February 2023, his legacy of environmental advocacy and unwavering commitment to making the world a better place will serve as an inspiration for others. 

Laura (Almdale) Koerner - Class of 1993



After earning her B.S. in Systems Engineering at the United States Naval Academy, Ms. Koerner served as a research assistant at this same institution and at the Naval Dosimetry Center before earning her M.S. in Nuclear Engineering, with distinction, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Commissioned as a Surface Warfare Officer (Nuclear), Ms. Koerner served on the USS Enterprise as the Nuclear Propulsion Plant Watch Officer and as the Tomahawk Strike Officer, Gunnery/Ordnance Officer, and Public Affairs Officer on the USS Mahan. After completing her naval service, Ms. Koerner assumed various positions in the private sector, including Program Manager/Senior Systems Engineer for PVM, Inc., as well as Program Director/Project Management and Program/Project Manager Lead for the financial services company USAA. An active community volunteer, Ms. Koerner currently serves as councilwoman and mayor pro-tem for the City of Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas, chairwoman/ commissioner for the Texas Veterans Commission, and a Blue and Gold Officer for the U.S. Naval Academy Admissions Department as well as being a board member for many military-related groups and government/political organizations. Among her many accomplishments and awards, Ms. Koerner receive the Navy Achievement Medal (1999), the USNA Class of 1972 Junior Officer Leadership Award (2000), the Navy Commendation Medal (2000 and 2003), and served as a certified USA Triathlon Level 1 coach at the Olympic Training Center.